Mail and express car



(No Model.)

I. R'OWLEY. MAI; AND EXPRESS GAR.

Patented Dec. 4, 1894;

Eli

No. 530,243. N

Wilgesscs ZWL THE NORRIS PETERS co. PriOTO-LlTNO" WASHINGTON. n. c.

v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

FRANK ROWLEY, OF .WEST SUPERIOR, WISCONSIN.

MAIL AND EXPRESS CAR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 530,243, dated December4, 1 894.

Application filed July 19, 1894. Serial No. 518,023- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, FRANK RowLEY, a citizen of the United States,residing at West Superior, in the county of Douglas and State ofWisconsin, have invented a new'and useful Mail and Express Car, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to mail and express cars; and it has for itsobject to provide a new and useful car of this character that providesfor the transportation of mail and express with safety from the attacksof train robbers.

To this end the main and primary object of the present invention is toconstruct a perfectly bullet and fireproof railway car especiallyadapted for mail and express purposes which will be entirelyinaccessible to robbers, while the occupants of the car will beprotected from violence and will have ample space and opportunity forfighting the robbers in all directions.

With these and other objects in view which will readily appear as thenature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in thenovel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinaftermore fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the drawingsz-Figure 1 is a side elevation of a mail and express carconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a centralvertical longitudinal sectional view thereof including slightly overone-half the length of the car. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View onthe line 00-01; of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail sectional viewof a side portion of the car body including one of the port holes andthe window directly above such hole.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the car body thatis constructed in a length adapting the same for the double purpose oftransporting, safely against the attacks of robbers, both mail andexpressage, and the said car body is mounted upon the usual car trucks2, in the ordinary manner.

The car body 1, is preferably made of steel plates or sections securelyriveted together at their meeting ends, and the body of the car ispreferably inclosed at the top by the separate roof portion 3, extendingthe entire length thereof and also made up of sections of steel platessecurelyjoined together, and at its opposite side edges and ends theroof portion 3,

is provided with the securing flange 4, that together by means of bolts,rivets or other suitable securing means.

The metallic sectional car body 1, is provided with an intermediatesquared portion 6, divided by a partition wall7, at the center toseparate the car body into two compartments, one for mail and one forexpressage under the charge of their respective messengers, and saidintermediate squared portion 6, forms a passage-way to and from theopposite ends of the body, and formed in opposite sides of saidintermediate portion 6, near to the central partition wall 7, are thedoor openings 8, that are inclosed by the doors 9, working fromtheinside and secured by means of suitable inside latches or securingmeans 10.

Leading 0E from both ends of the intermediate squared or contracted bodyportion'6, are the opposite enlarged cylindrical end portions 11, formedat opposite ends of the car body and providing enlarged fighting roomswhich give the messengers an opportunity to fully protect the mail orexpressage in their charge. The enlarged cylindrical end portions'll ofthe car body are widened out beyond the opposite sides of theintermediate portions 6, and are partly formed by rounding the body roof3, at opposite ends thereof, as illustrated in the drawings, and byreason of the cylindrical shapeot these end portions of the car'bodyshots directed there-against will glance off, While at the same time thegreatest possible amount of space is afforded to the messengers.

The enlarged cylindrical end portions 11 of the metallic car body 1, areprovided in both sides as well as in theirends with a series of windows12, through which the occupants within the car may observe the movementsof the robbers outside of the car in whatever direction the robbers maybe,inasmuch as the bulging or widened shape of the end portions 11,provides means for locating windows at points where the robbers may beobserved at the sidesof the intermediate portion of the car as well asdirectly at the opposite ends thereof, and these windows 12, are fullyprotected against bullets or ride balls by means of the exteriorprotective gratings 13, covering the same, said gratings being formed ofsteel bars arranged sufficiently close to prevent the passage of abullet or ride ball. 1mmediately under each window 12, in the sides andends of the cylindrical portions 11, are formed the port hole sockets 14in which are mounted for universal movement the fire arm supportingballs 15, which are provided therein with the fire arm openings 16, toreceive the muzzle of a pistol or rifle. By inserting the muzzle of afire arm in the balls 15, such fire arm may be turned up or (10W119sidwise,

or in any direction whatever so that the occupants of the car can fireupon the robbers in any position.

At each end of the carand over theintermediate portion thereof, the carbody roof 3, is provided with the ventilating openings 17, and fittedover these openings on the top or outside of the roof arelongitudinallydisposed ventilating, tubes 18, provided at both ends with semi-conicaldownwardly disposed tube caps 19, which are sufticiently spaced abovethe roof to admit of the proper ventilation to and from the openings 17,while at the same time not weakening or affecting the protectivecharacter of the car body.

From the above it will be obvious that the herein described car is soconstructed and equipped as to be almost impregnable against the attacksof train robbers, and it will be understood that changes in the form,proportion and the minordetails of construction 5 may be resorted towithout departing from the principle or sacrificing any of theadvantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a mailand express car, the metallic car body having a separateroof flanged thereto and provided with a partitioned intermediatesquared portion and opposite enlarged cylindrical end portions leadingoff from both ends of the squared portion and having in the sides andends thereof a series of grated windows and port holes immediately underthe windows, substantially as set forth.

2. In a mail and express car, an elongated metallic car body provided atboth ends with enlarged cylindrical end portions, having in the sidesand ends thereof a series of windows and port holes immediately underthe windows, exterior protective gratings fitted over said windows,andperforated tire arm supporting balls mounted for universal movementin the port holes under the windows, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afti'xedmy'signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANK ROWLEY.

Witnesses:

T. V. BADGLEY, NILs J OHNSON.

